Together
by DarkPoisonousLove
Summary: Written for Golden Queen Week 2018 Day 4 - Golden Queen and another OUAT couple (and that would be Captain Swan). AU in which the Curse took them to New York and they live among ordinary people. The Curse is still unbroken and Golden Queen are an evil power couple.
1. Chapter 1

_"Follow the plan, dearie."_

The audio cracked. It did that a lot. The bug they'd planted in the car wasn't in the ideal place but that was the worst reception they'd ever gotten. As if something was interfering with the signal. They could only hope it wouldn't disappear completely.

 _"When have I let you down?"_

A female voice asked. That was her. It was the first time they were hearing her voice. It was so sickly sweet that even the crackling of the transmitter couldn't stop it from causing shivers to run down Emma's spine.

 _"I can think of a few occasions, Your Majesty."_

The familiarity between the two was outstanding–as if they'd known each other their whole lives–and Emma couldn't believe they had only learned about her a few weeks ago. Killian and she had been tracking the man they believed was the infamous Gold-weaver for months, trying to prove his crimes and money laundering. But he always seemed to be ten steps ahead of them. Until a few weeks ago when they'd learned he had an accomplice. A woman that he always called 'Your Majesty'. They'd given her the code name 'The Queen'. The two had been speaking on the phone quite often those past few days, plotting something big. But that was the first time they'd met in person. She'd gotten in his car a few minutes ago.

 _"We're on the same team now, dear."_

She paused in favor of a sonorous kiss that, luckily for Emma and Killian, didn't last long.

 _"Let's go see the catch of the day."_

They left the car and Emma turned off the transmitter.

"Let's go," she said, her hand sliding to the holster on her belt to check for her gun one last time.

"Wait, Swan," Killian caught her hand, halting her impetus. His hand moved to the ring he was wearing on a chain around his neck and he took it off.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked with agitation. "This may be our only chance to catch them both. We have to go."

"I want you to have it." He helped her put it on. "As a lucky charm." He gave her that smile she could never quite return.

She knew she meant the world to him but it still hit her over the head like a brick every time she saw the love in his eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that. Ever since her parents had abandoned her right after her birth she'd believed she was unlovable. And even when her son found her and dragged her to a neighbourhood in New York, claiming it was cursed by his adoptive mother and she was the only one who could break the spell, she still felt like she didn't belong. He loved her, sure, but she was afraid that one day he'd realize that she wasn't the Savior he thought her to be and he'd want nothing to do with her anymore. But Killian had been there for her every moment, looking after her even when she didn't want him to and loving her even when she was scared to love him back.

"Thanks," She grasped the ring, giving him a faint smile in return, suddenly afraid. She had a lucky charm to keep her safe but it wouldn't matter if she lost him. She wanted to tell him how much... how much he meant to her. But if she didn't move soon, she never would. "I'm going after him, you follow her," she said and leapt out of their hiding place without awaiting an answer.

For a moment she thought–she hoped really–that they'd lost them but then she spotted two figures on the sidewalk, not that far away. She wondered how long her moment with Killian had lasted. Not long enough, she decided (it had felt like eternity).

The two figures parted ways – he turned left and she continued straightforward at the crossroads. Emma went after him, suppressing the impulse to turn around and look at Killian one last time. She had to stay focused on the mission. They'd been working on it for months. She couldn't blow her cover now.

She followed her target, keeping a safe distance between them, her fingers brushing against the walkie talkie on her waist every now and then but it stayed silent. As much as she wanted to hear Killian's voice, that was a good sign. It meant nothing had gone wrong.

She stopped, considering her next move, when the man turned right a few blocks after the separation point and headed for the back entrance of Granny's Bed & Breakfast. Emma knew the place well–Henry always insisted on going there–and knew that she could miss him if she didn't act quickly.

"Swan," the walkie talkie on her waist came to life. "I lost her."

She made up her mind at that. She grabbed the device and pressed the button. "I'm still on his trail. He went into Granny's. I'm going after him."

"Swan, wait for me." Killian's voice was different now, more alarmed, and she wished she could listen to him.

"There's no time. We can't lose him." She returned the walkie talkie on her waist and drew out her gun.

The path to the diner was muddy and slippery. She held her gun low when she entered the diner in case there was someone there. She didn't want to scare the living hell out of Granny. Luckily for her, the reception was empty but there were muddy footsteps on the floor. She smiled. He wouldn't get away now.

She followed the steps to one of the rooms. The door was open and the footsteps disappeared at the threshold which set off the alarm in Emma's head. She slowly walked into the room, listening carefully and keeping her eyes peeled. It was clear save for the figure that was facing the window. She recognized him nonetheless.

"Gold?" she asked, lowering her gun slightly in shock. It couldn't be. That hadn't been his voice they'd heard mere minutes ago. But when he turned around, she saw the familiar face.

"Miss Swan." He took a step towards her, his cane nowhere to be seen. He'd been playing them all that time.

She cocked her gun, holding him at gunpoint. "Don't move."

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere." He smirked at her, making her want to walk over to him and hit him on the head with her gun.

"Swan," she heard Killian's voice behind her back. "What's going on?" he asked between heavy breaths. He'd came running.

She glanced at him and saw him standing behind her, gun in his hand. She relaxed a little, knowing that he had her back. "It was him all along," she said, her eyes set firmly on Gold and her finger on the trigger, ready to shoot him if he dared breathe the wrong way. "But we got him now." She allowed for some smugness to seep into her voice.

"We still have to find his accomplice, love," Killian didn't sound quite as confident as her.

"I'm right here."

The door slammed shut behind them, the key turning in the lock.

Emma turned around, wondering how she'd missed the presence of another person, wondering how she'd missed that it was her. "Regina." But she couldn't have known of course. The voices they'd heard thanks to the bug had not belonged to the people they were now facing. They'd known about it and had managed to fool them. "Don't move," she said through gritted teeth when Regina pocketed the skeleton key she'd used to lock the door. She sounded more betrayed than she would've liked. She'd always been at odds with Regina but she'd thought they were trying to get along for Henry's sake. She didn't even want to think of how she'd explain the situation to him. She could imagine his eyes filling with tears and his lip trembling when she told him that the woman who'd raised him was going to jail. She had to shoot Regina just for that.

"You're not gonna shoot me," Regina said haughtily and calmly circled her, ignoring the gun that stayed aimed at her, until she came to stand next to Gold.

"Oh yeah?" Emma challenged, her finger tightening on the trigger.

"Henry would never forgive you if you shot me no matter what you'd tell him." She leaned on Gold's shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Maybe. But he'll never forgive you when he learns what you two are doing." Emma had to admit that she was a bit shocked herself. The two of them had always hated each other but now they were working together. Of course it could've been pretense like everything else. It didn't matter because they had them cornered. "You're under arrest." She reached for the handcuffs she was carrying.

"On what charges?" Gold asked.

On what charges? She had an entire list of crimes that were committed by... the Gold-weaver. And they still couldn't link Gold to him. "Trespassing," she fired out. She wouldn't let him find a loophole out of this.

"What proof do you have?" Regina joined her boyfriend. Or whatever the hell he was.

"That nice creepy skeleton key in your pocket," the fake sweetness of her voice matching the one of the female voice they'd heard earlier. "Step away from him." She ordered, motioning with her head.

"Your Majesty, if you will," Gold said, sounding irritated.

"With pleasure," Regina lazily raised her hand. With a flick of her wrist Emma's gun was forced out of her hand.

"Swan." Killian's hand wrapped around her bicep now that he'd lost his gun too.

Emma's jaw dropped. "How'd you do that?"

"Oh, that? That's a little something I specialize in." Regina held out her palm and little flames started dancing in it.

"Magic," Emma whispered as she remembered what Henry had told her about Regina, the air getting knocked out of her lungs.

"I told you you have no idea what I'm capable of, Emma," the sound of her own name was mocking her as it left Regina's mouth. The fire died down in her hand, a vicious grin appearing on her face. "Welcome to reality."

 **A/N: There will be another chapter. I just don't know when I'll post it but I hope it won't take long. Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Finally posting this after five long months. So sorry for the long wait, guys! I hope you'll like it though (there's a little reference towards the very end; see if you can find it). Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

"Welcome to reality."

Reality. Regina defeating her couldn't be reality. There was no way she'd let that bitch anywhere near Henry ever again. She wouldn't let her get away with some cheap trick. "You're playing a trick on us but it won't get you far," Emma said, ready for a showdown. There was no way Gold and Regina could defeat her and Killian even with their 'magic'. Having the advantage of choosing the battlefield and accommodating it to your taste certainly was a winning move but she and Killian hadn't lost just yet.

Regina's smile got wiped from her face and she rolled her eyes. She looked at Gold. "You picked a really slow horse this time."

Gold's gaze met Emma's for a second and he looked at her like a father disappointed by his child as if trying to tell her that that whole mess of a situation was on her, that she'd failed him after he'd put his faith in her. "I guess I did," he said as he turned towards Regina, their faces just a few inches apart. "Which is why I'm placing my bets on you now." He pulled her in for a kiss, causing her free hand to fly up to his shoulder and a little surprised moan to leave her throat.

Emma found all of it offensive. The room was a battlefield but Gold and Regina didn't seem bothered by that fact, instead ignoring her and Killian in favor of making out. As if she and Killian posed no threat to them. She would prove them wrong. They may have had tactical advantage but they'd just wasted it.

She surged forward, tearing away from Killian's grasp, and found herself being pushed back by an invisible force when Regina raised the hand previously resting on Gold's shoulder, having sensed her movement. She was flung back and her back collided with the wall but instead of falling forward due to the impact, she stayed glued to the wall, her body immobilized.

"Swan," Killian rushed to her aid but he'd barely made a step when he stopped, his hand flying up to his throat and his mouth falling open as he struggled to breathe.

"Killian," Emma called as she thrashed against the force that was holding her pressed against the wall but in vain. She couldn't free herself.

"Still not a believer, are you?" Regina spoke, drawing Emma's attention to her. She looked pissed but whether because of Emma's refusal to believe in magic or because her attempt to attack her and Gold had interrupted their kiss was unclear. Her hand was outstretched and her fingers were curled as if she was gripping Killian's throat from a distance. A bit like Darth Vader's force choke. And just like it, it was just special effects. It couldn't be real. Magic didn't exist. "Allow me to demonstrate then," Regina said as if she'd read Emma's thoughts.

She walked over to Killian and raised her hand as if preparing to hit him in the back. But instead, it sounded like her hand sank into his chest, although Emma couldn't quite see what was going on due to their positioning. What she could see though was Killian's pained expression, and she could also hear the anguish in his groans. Her heart clenched in her chest at her inability to help him.

Regina pulled her hand back and when Killian turned towards her, he stumbled backwards. Emma would've too if she could. But she could only gape at the heart glowing in red in Regina's hand. It looked real despite the glowing effect and she could hear its beating even though she couldn't feel her own heartbeat, her heart frozen in terror. If she'd been wrong...

Regina caught her eye and smirked at her obvious horror. She squeezed the heart in her hand which caused Killian to double over in pain, grunting. Regina quirked a brow at her.

"I believe you," Emma yelled, writhing against the magical bonds but to no avail. "Stop it," she said as she ceased her struggle. "Please." It came out quiet and broken, and afraid – just like the little girl she'd always been.

Regina loosened her grip on the heart, allowing both Killian and Emma to take a deep breath.

Gold walked over to Killian and reached into an inside pocket in his suit jacket. He pulled out a small vial and handed it to Killian. "Bottoms up, Captain."

Killian hesitated.

Gold turned to his accomplice but his gaze was on Emma. "Regina-"

"No, I'll drink it," Killian grabbed it from his hand, drawing his attention back to him. "I'll drink it. Just don't hurt Emma."

"Killian, no!" Emma yelled at him as he removed the cork of the vial. "Don't," she pleaded when he looked at her, her eyes full of tears. They had no idea what was in that vial. But it sure as all bloody hell couldn't be good. She couldn't watch him die.

"I love you." Killian smiled at her with eyes full of sadness as if he had accepted the fact that that was the last time he'd get to tell her that, that that was the last time he'd see her. He lifted the vial to his lips and drank its contents.

"No," Emma screamed as she pulled on the magical binds with all her strength, tears flowing down her face. She couldn't breathe, her heart had stopped, her mind was blank. The only thing she registered was the blurry image of Killian in front of her.

He stumbled again, the vial falling from his hand. He shook his head as if in confusion.

"Killian," Emma managed now that she was breathing again, her voice hoarse and impossible to ignore.

He didn't look at her. Instead, he turned to Gold, his gaze darkening when it landed on the man. "Crocodile," he said, the simmering rage in his voice even worse than Emma's despair. She'd never heard a word drenched in so much hate. It was as if he was a completely different man and suddenly the fact that he was breathing wasn't enough. Her vision had cleared but she couldn't see the man she knew.

"Welcome back, Captain." Gold smirked at him as if it wasn't clear that Killian wished him dead. "Now that we've jogged your memory," he extended a hand towards Regina and she came closer, allowing him to wrap it around her middle, "I'm sure you'll be able to appreciate the familiarity of the situation." His voice was even but there was that same burning hatred in it that had also been in Killian's.

Emma had no idea what he was talking about but Killian seemed to know. His eyes filled with terror. "No." He looked at her and the worry in his gaze made him recognizable to her again. He was the same man who loved her. "No," he shook his head as he looked at Gold again. "I won't let you," he charged but Regina's magic held him back.

"Thank you," Gold said as he turned to her, his lips almost brushing against her cheek. "You see," he looked back at Killian, "there is one difference." He took the heart from Regina. "Last time you watched the woman you love die," he squeezed Killian's heart, causing him to shout out, "now it'll be the other way around.

"No," Emma wailed, the tears coming back again.

Killian turned to her and she saw him mouth to her one last "I love you" before his body dropped to the floor. His heart turned to dust in Gold's hand and, with it, Emma's bonds disappeared too. She hit the floor with a thud and immediately scampered to him, not caring how she looked in Regina's eyes. Her only thought was him.

"Killian," she sobbed out as she grabbed his jacket and shook him but there was no response. "No," her hand landed on his chest but there was no heartbeat to be felt. "No, I can't lose you," she whispered as she leaned over him and cupped his face with her trembling hands, her tears landing on his skin but he remained unresponsive. She touched her forehead to his. "Come back to me," she pleaded even though she knew it was impossible. But his death had been too and yet, he was still in her arms, not moving and not breathing.

"Perhaps he will," Regina intervened, causing Emma's head to snap in her direction, a murderous glare on her face. She had no right to interrupt her grieving and to mock her pain like that. The vicious bitch. "I can split your heart in two and give him one of the halves," Regina continued before she could say anything, looking unfazed by the death glare. "If you two share True Love," she spat out the words, "he'll live." She sounded angered by the suggestion but that was completely illogical. It was her idea to offer it. Why did she sound like she wanted to hurl something across the room?

Gold seemed to notice the change in Regina too because he caught her hand in an attempt to calm her and, much to Emma's surprise, it seemed to actually work.

Regina let out a breath when she felt his hand in hers and the tension rolled off her. Emma couldn't believe it. The two of them had always been at each other's throats but she supposed that must have all been part of the ruse. But to think they could be in love... Now that was a leap of faith. She had more pressing matters to think about though.

True Love. Henry had told her so much about it. That it could break any curse. That it was the most powerful magic of all. And the rarest. She looked at Killian's body and swallowed. She was afraid to even presume that they shared True Love. All her life no one had loved her truly. But Killian wasn't like the others. He'd proven time and time again that he loved her. She didn't need her superpower or magic to know that.

"Why are you offering to save him?" Emma asked to buy herself some time to think. Besides, it was a logical question. Why would Regina want to bring him back since she'd just helped Gold murder him? She looked at Gold. He was just watching passively, not looking too terribly concerned by the possibility of Killian coming back to life. Maybe he didn't believe that they shared True Love. Or maybe he and Regina were playing a game she didn't understand. Either way, Regina's offer was the only option that she had.

"Because if you don't share True Love, you'll die," Regina said. A grin appeared on her face but Emma could tell it was fake. For some reason Regina wasn't as thrilled by the possibility as she'd expected her to be. She was a ball of nerves again and Gold's grip on both her hand and her waist tightened noticeably as if in an attempt to snap her out of it.

"But what if I live?" she asked, trying hard not to sound like the little girl that was just kicked out by another foster family. The little girl that had always been apprehensive when it came to love because it had never been like a fairytale. Every time she opened her heart, it was torn apart. So she'd locked it away behind thick walls. Could she hope that Killian's love had been able to break down those walls and mend it enough for it to save them both?

"He's no longer the man you knew, dearie," Gold spoke, causing her to startle. "He remembers the heartbreak now. The love he lost. And the revenge he wanted to exact to avenge it," Gold said calmly as if he wasn't the one behind all of that. It was why Killian had looked at him as if he was hoping to murder him with a glare.

Emma remembered now. Henry had told her about his suspicions on Killian's true identity. He was Captain Hook which would explain the missing hand. And he wanted revenge on Rumplestiltskin for killing the woman he loved. Emma had witnessed the hatred he harbored for Gold so that fit too. But could she hope that her love for him, unspoken and unrealized as it was, had mended his heart too?

She grasped the ring he'd given her. A good luck charm, he'd said. A promise of love was what he hadn't called it but it was nonetheless. She knew it. She looked at Regina. "Do it."

Regina took a step towards her which forced Gold to let go of her. She bent over, her face so close to Emma's that the latter could feel her breath on her skin. "This is going to hurt," she said and plunged her hand into Emma's chest.

Emma's mouth fell open in a silent scream and she leaned forward slightly, bending under the pain. She felt Regina's fingers close around her heart and she pulled it out. She could still feel it beating but more faintly now. The fear that had gripped her throat and the sadness that was spilling from her eyes also subsided. It was as if her senses and sensibilities were drowned out.

Regina caught her heart with two hands–it was so strange to look at something that was supposed to be inside your chest–and turned one half of it horizontally, making Emma jolt. "Take a deep breath, dear," she said, her voice dripping with smugness, "it might be your last." She then pulled the two halves of the heart apart–this time it caused no pain to Emma's surprise, only a pulsing sensation, running through her–and pushed one in Emma's chest and the other in Killian's, then stepped aside, next to Gold and he wrapped his hand around her shoulders.

Emma looked at Killian, holding her breath. A strangled sob fell from her mouth when his chest rose and then fell. "Killian," she said softly as she smiled through tears but those were happy ones. Her hand cupped his cheek but there was no response from him. He was breathing but he looked asleep.

In her mind flashed a page of Henry's storybook, the image of Snow White sleeping in her glass coffin until Prince Charming woke her with True Love's kiss. She leaned in without hesitation and gently touched her lips to Killian's. Suddenly she felt heavy, pressure building in her and forcing her eyelids downwards.

She closed her eyes but when she opened them, she was no longer at Granny's. She was in a dark corridor with black marble walls that was only lit by a torch. She grabbed it from it's placement on the wall in hopes of finding an exit from whatever that was. Regina and Gold had tricked her. They'd done something to get rid of her. And she'd agreed because she hadn't had any other choice. But what was the point when she didn't even know what had happened to Killian?

She grasped at the ring he'd given her, feeling tears in her eyes again. She couldn't give up now. She had to find a way out of... wherever she was so that she could save Killian. And Henry. She couldn't leave him with Regina. She was a murderer and, in hindsight, the Evil Queen. There was no way in hell she'd leave her son with that woman. The only problem was she had no idea how to save herself, not to mention stop Regina. She'd read Henry's book but she couldn't remember anything about a place that even remotely resembled the one she was currently at. She should've paid more attention to his fantasy world. Maybe then she wouldn't be at a loss for what to do.

She clutched Killian's ring even harder. He'd said it was a good luck charm and she really needed it to be right now. She wasn't one to believe in luck–or in True Love for that matter–but if she could trust Regina's words–and she knew she couldn't–what had just happened proved that she and Killian shared True Love. Even after he'd remembered his painful past. So she allowed herself to hope.

Just as the thought ran through her head, her perception of the ring in her grasp dwindled. She couldn't feel the metal against her skin anymore and, suddenly, she felt heavy again. She tried to keep her eyes open but that was an impossible task.

She felt as if she was falling but the sensation stopped as soon as it had appeared. She opened her eyes to find herself back at Granny's, her head rested against Killian's shoulder. He was once again lying on the floor and appeared to be asleep.

"What the hell was that? What did you do?" Emma sat up abruptly, looking at Regina.

"A little sleeping curse," Regina said, looking down on her. She'd tricked her just like Emma had expected.

"But True Love's kiss-"

"Can't save you, dear," Regina interrupted her, contempt evident on her features and Emma supposed it had something to do with her very passionate and very sudden belief in True Love. "You see, now that you and Captain Guyliner here," she nodded in Killian's direction, "share a heart, it's like giving yourself True Love's kiss. One between you two can't break any curse."

Emma looked at Killian's sleeping form. "But that means that..." she trailed off, realizing what number they'd done on her. When she was awake, Killian would be asleep and vice versa. She'd never be able to look in his eyes again or feel his touch against her skin. "I'll make you pay for this," she said, her voice quiet but filled with rage, much like Killian's had been after he got his memories back. "Both of you," she looked at Gold and then back at Regina. "I'll take Henry back if it is the last thing I do and I'll break your Curse."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Miss Swan," Gold spoke as he caught Regina's hand in an uncharacteristic of him show of support. "I had a feeling you might get that idea so we took care of that too."

Emma's eyes widened. "No." She looked at Regina. "What did you do?"

Regina smiled with evil glee. "We poisoned your heart. Both halves of it."

"The moment it found its way into Regina's capable hands," Gold paused to place a kiss on the back of Regina's hand, making Emma sick to her stomach in the process, "the poison coated all of it."

"If you so much as try to get close to Henry–or anyone else you love for that matter–both you and the pirate will die," Regina added.

"Henry will ask for me," Emma objected but her words lacked any conviction. Not because she doubted Henry would miss her but because there was no way Regina hadn't taken care of that too.

"Ask for you?" Regina chuckled – a dark sound that made Emma shiver, confirming her worst suspicions. "He doesn't even remember you. I removed you from his phone, from his memories, from his life," Regina hissed out the last word, her eyes blazing with hatred.

The tears started falling down Emma's face. She'd lost everything. Thanks to the poison in her heart, she couldn't get anywhere near Henry or Mary Margaret who–in light of recent events–turned out to be her mother after all. And because of the sleeping curse, she'd lost Killian too. He was there, breathing–she could feel his chest rising and falling under her palm–but he would never be awake when she was.

"Oh, don't despair, Miss Swan," Regina started, the fake sympathy in her tone making Emma want to tear her throat out with her bare hands. And she would try even though she knew she stood no chance against Regina's magic and would only get herself killed. But her life was now connected with Killian's and every single one of her actions would have consequences for him too. She couldn't get him killed. "Heroes always win," Regina said the words that Henry had told her many times. Only, back then she'd rolled her eyes at his naivety while now the words were just cruel, sealing her fate. Her fist closed in the fabric of Killian's jacket, grasping for any strength she could draw from his cursed form. "And you're the Savior. I'm sure you'll find a way to save everyone." She was no hero. She could never be. And it was as clear as day now that she had failed everyone. "Just make sure that whatever you do, you do it quickly."

Emma looked at her at that, completely lost as to what Regina was talking about.

"You only have till your twenty-ninth birthday to break the Curse, Emma, or it will never happen." Regina's eyes sparkled with sick joy, making it clear on which scenario she was betting.

"Tick tock, Miss Swan," Gold mocked, "tick tock." He wrapped his arms around Regina's waist and the two of them disappeared in one last display of magic.

The purple cloud that engulfed them carried away Emma's last hope of fixing things. She couldn't fix anything. She couldn't even get Killian out of there since they were still locked in. How was she supposed to save anyone else?


End file.
